Difference: A4 & A5

[emitfo]

Yes, I'm showing my ignorance! I went to the MAD page and listened to the A4 & A5 mandolins and the the A5 sounded decidedly warmer and untwangy/brittle to me. I searched on google and searched on here and didn't locate threads about them--what is the difference? It seems rather dramatic to me.
Thanks

[man dough nollij]

The A4 would be an A body, oval. The A5 would be an A body, ff holes.

[Capt. E]

Yes, there are very distinctive differences in the sound of an oval hole mandolin and one with ff holes. The shape of the sound holes is one factor, differences in internal bracing is another. Any number of other differences such and the shape of the headstock, the manner in which the neck is joined to the body, etc. can all cause tonal differences.

[f5loar]

Aside from many cosmetic differences the big difference is a short neck A4 vs a long neck A5 and oval hole A4 vs F hole A5. Bracing totally different. Neck thinkness different. Are we talking the one and only signed Loar A5 vs any prewar A4? If so the price difference is astronomical.

[Bill Snyder]

I think he is talking about the carbon fiber instruments sold by Peter Mix.

[emitfo]

Actually I was kind of hoping this thread would go away! After man dough nollij pointed out it was f-hole vs oval I was surprised to find out he was right. I think I looked at the A5 and assumed the A4 was also an f-hole without looking too closely. I thought an f-hole would be considered/built first in a line then the oval holes to capture that part of the market too. After that, the idea was in place and as I listened to different clips I didn't even look much at the videos. And I felt very sheepish and stupid.

[Jim MacDaniel]

Thread...not...going...away...LOL!

Seriously though, there is no reason to be embarassed, especially since even at Gibson there were exceptions to the rule -- and I find the most interesting one, the two-point oval-hole A-5 that Gibson made for Jethro Burns: http://www.mandozine.com/index.php/instruments/instrumentinfo/gibson_a_5_1959/

[mandroid]

The Mold is the same , I have a Mix A5,
the location of tonebar/braces are similar to typical wooden top's arraingement.
Carbon fibers allignment likely parallel [didn't have a mirror and light to look inside], like the wooden braces are, too. though they need not be as thick.

they are epoxied in place before the top is then epoxied to the rest of the body.


Anyone that bought the A4 version offer their internal inspection, though only sticking a finger in the soundhole.. [?]

Peter says the Kevlar mix fabric changes the sound somewhat , no experience on that.

Saw there are color choices in dyes to the Kevlar thread, red, blue, or, green added to the black.